Our heart rests between beats, our lungs catch their breath between inhalations, our eyes take it easy when we blink, and our muscles relax as a counterpoint to contraction. Our bodies’ built-in systems take a timeout to replenish their energies in the smallest moments.
It’s a simple process that we can all easily adopt. Conceptualized as “micro-resilience,” authors Bonnie St. John and Allen P Haines recognized that instead of thinking that we must “build our resilience” in big steps, we can develop small habits that create bigger behaviors that lead to lasting change.
We all already use these ideas every day when we:
- Take a deep breath before heading into an important meeting.
- Get up out of our chair and go for a walk down the hallway.
- Grab some nuts for a healthy nutrition break.
- Reflect on our day in the evening and think about what we want to achieve tomorrow.
Research supports this concept as well. A journal Clinical Psychological Review studyreported that brief periods of mindfulness practice improve factors such as subjective well-being, how we respond emotionally to stressful events, and help keep our mouth shut when we get aggravated.
When Sheila and I were having breakfast this morning, she asked me what I read on my iPad a few minutes after waking up. I told her I always start my morning by reading the “Daily Dharma” from the journal Tricycle, which provides a thoughtful article to consider for the day. Today, we focused on enjoying and experiencing each moment of our day.
These small actions, like reading a reflective piece in the morning or keeping a water pitcher on your desk, are the essence of micro-resilience. They remind us that resilience is not about grand gestures but integrating small, mindful habits into our daily lives. So, we can embrace these micro-moments and build our resilience one small step at a time. After all, these tiny, consistent actions culminate in significant, lasting change.
Go for small, and watch the significant transformations unfold.
© Richard Citrin 2024
